Helping you to Heal Yourself

What is Hypnosis?

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, "hypnosis" is defined as

1.  An artifically induced altered state of consciousness, characterized by heightened suggestibility and receptivity to direction.

2.  Hypnotism

3.  A sleeplike condition

Hypnotism is defined as:

1.  The theory of practice of inducing hypnosis

2.  The act of inducing hypnosis

Hypnotherapy is defined as:  The therapy based on or using hypnosis, often used for treatment of chronic pain.

None of the above is much help in informing you of what hypnosis is and its uses, is it?

Perhaps the best place to start is to tell you what hypnosis isn't.

When people think of hypnosis their point of reference is what they have seen on television or stage shows.  What is portrayed in these venues are glassy -eyed people who have no control over their actions such as quacking like a duck or clucking like a chicken.  Stage hypnosis does exist, but is only successful on individuals who would normally choose to respond in this fashion, many of whom are on a party high.

(If you are under psychological and or  medical care, you should discuss this with your medical provider first.) 

WARNING:  NUT OILS AND ESSENTIAL OILS ARE USED AT THIS FACILITY.  DECONTAMINATION IS NOT POSSIBLE.

CERTIFIED CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPY

In fact, with hypnosis and hypnotherapy, the individual is very much aware of what is transpiring.  Indeed, the success of hypnosis and hypnotherapy is highly dependent on the client's willingness and commitment to the process.  (No your facilitator does NOT wave a magic wand and make it happen for you!)

Hypnosis is a condition in which  you are in between the state of wakefulness and sleep.  When you day-dream or enter into meditation or a deep prayerful frame of mind you are in mild hypnosis.

Being in the hypnotic state is a natural state of being.  The subconscious mind is where the long-term memory resides; along with your emotions and feelings; your habit patterns; relationship patterns; addictions; your involuntary bodily functions; your creativity; your spiritual connection; and your intuition.  In actuality, you are in the subconscious, slightly "hypnotic" state approximately 90% of the day.

The other 10% of the mind is the conscious mind.  This consists of your analytical side; your short-term memory; and the part of you that thinks and plans.

When hypnosis is used for therapeutic purposes, this is referred to as hypnotherapy.  In this mode your subconscious mind is encouraged to find solutions  to  existing problems.

The hypnotherapy session is very interactive.  The client does NOT go to sleep.  Benefits are derived from the facilitator giving directions and suggestions to the client to induce relaxation and then guiding the mind through a series of mental, visual, and sensorial exercises.  As an example, you may be asked to "see the flowers, "smell the flowers", "feel the flowers", etc.

By engaging the subconscious mind, the facilitator can then access the side of you that connects to your creativity, your habit patterns, your bodily urges, your spiritual connection, and your intuition.  Through this access,  questions  can be asked of the part of you that constitutes infinite wisdom and insight.  The questions and answers can lead to  some  emotional  releases.   These releases  can then help  break through blockages  which   then   allows   the subconscious mind to proceed in embracing new patterns.

FROM THE MAYO CLINIC

[http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/528700/?sc=rsmn]

Released: 04-Apr-2007

Hypnotism Gaining a Legitimate Role in Health Care Treatments

Newswise — Hypnotism has expanded its realm from magic shows to health care. As a potential component of care, hypnotism is gaining legitimacy for a number of conditions, particularly for managing pain, according to the April issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Exactly how hypnosis works is not clear, but it’s generally considered an altered state of consciousness -- or trance -- in which a person has focused attention and a heightened ability to respond to helpful suggestions.

A trance often can be induced most quickly in people who are in severe pain. A therapist may suggest that the pain will fade or that an area of pain will become numb. In some cases, hypnosis works as well or better than pain-relieving medications.

Hypnosis has been shown to help relieve severe, acute pain associated with childbirth, burns, surgical procedures or dental pain. It can be especially helpful for people who can’t take pain medications or for whom medications aren’t effective.

Hypnosis can also be a component of therapy for other wide-ranging medical conditions, including reducing anxiety before surgery, symptoms of skin inflammation (dermatitis), and asthma symptoms, as well as to aid in smoking cessation.

Hypnosis is generally considered safe, but it only works in patients who are compliant. In other words, hypnosis can’t make people act against their own wills.

Psychiatrists, psychologists and other health care providers with training in hypnosis can offer medical hypnotism. It’s important to verify that the therapist has experience in treating the medical condition, too.